Frequently asked questions

Two critics, A. J. Whitlock and Nadia Brekke. Every review carries a byline linked to an author page listing their complete body of work, specialisms and background. We do not publish under a house name.

By display advertising and by readers. We do not accept payment for coverage, and no advertiser or distributor has any influence over what we cover or what score we give. Our full position is in our editorial policy.

Since 2019. Our library is curated rather than comprehensive, which means we add films we have something specific to say about rather than covering every release.

Yes, and we act on a reasonable number of suggestions. Send it to suggestions@ajmoviereviews.com and tell us why it is worth writing about rather than just that you liked it.

A score out of 100 and a rating out of five. 95–100 is essential, 88–94 outstanding, 80–87 strong, 70–79 good with reservations, 55–69 mixed, 40–54 weak, below 40 we would tell you not to bother. The full criteria are on our how we rate page.

No. It is a single judgement, written down and then tested against the argument in the review. There is no formula and we would not pretend there is.

Because we curate rather than chase. We add films we have something specific to say about, which tends to mean films with real achievements. If we covered every release the average would drop sharply.

Yes, when the opportunity arises, and we disclose it in the review. We do not accept conditions on coverage and access never affects a score.

We judge the film rather than its fidelity. An adaptation that departs from its source and works as a film is doing better work than one that reproduces a plot faithfully and fails as cinema.

Yes, and we encourage it. Write to us and tell us what the review missed rather than what score you would have given. The former is a conversation; the latter is not.

In themed batches. Each batch covers six films around a single craft question, published weekly, followed by a break while we research the next run.

No. The written review covers the whole film. The video episode takes one specific decision — a sequence, a lighting choice, a structural move — and examines it closely. They are designed to be read together.

Because a video is a poor format for an argument you want to check. Transcripts let you search, quote and read at your own pace, and they make the same reasoning available to people who cannot or would rather not watch.

The film index A–Z lists every film we have reviewed with year, genre, director and score. The reviews hub has a sortable index table as an alternative.

In four layers. Genre hubs explain what a category is for. Director profiles group films by the person making the decisions. Ranked lists place films against each other. Individual reviews carry the detail. Every page links up to its hub and sideways to related work.

Because we do not moderate a comment section and would rather not host one we cannot maintain. We read and answer email, and we publish the more interesting disagreements.

Yes, at /rss.xml. It carries the latest reviews and video episodes.

The site itself functions without cookies. Any cookies present are set by advertising networks operating within the page. You can block or delete them without affecting your ability to read anything. Our cookie policy has the detail.

Not in full. Short quotations with attribution and a link are fine. For anything more, contact us. Our copyright page sets out the position in full.

Every poster image on this site is original artwork generated by our own design system. We do not reproduce film stills, studio posters or third-party photography, which is why the collection has a consistent look and why we never need a copyrighted still.

Email corrections@ajmoviereviews.com with the page URL, the specific claim you believe is wrong, and a source we can check. We aim to respond within five working days and note accepted corrections at the foot of the page.